Study of growth performance and leather quality in mithun (Bos frontalis) and its comparison with local cattle (Bos indicus) fed on tree leaves based ration

摘要

Theobjectiveoftheexperimentwastostudythegrowthperformanceandleatherqualityofmithun(Bosfrontalis)anditscomparisonwithTho-thocattle(Bosindicus)ofIndia.MithunandTho-thocattleofNorth-Easternhilly(NEH)regionofIndiawereindividuallyfedontreeleaves/shrubs(Quercuspolystachya,LagerstroemiaspaciosaandFicushirta)basedrationforaperiodofsixmonths.nbsp;ApproximatelyhalfoftheDMrequirementwasmetbyconcentrateandrestbyroughage.Thewaterwasavailableatalltimes.Thegrowthperformanceofanimalswasevaluatedintermsofaveragedailygain,feedutrientintakeandfeedconversionefficiencyduringtheexperimentalperiod.Aftergrowthstudy,threeexperimentalanimalsofbothmithunandcattleweresacrificedandhideswereprocessedbyusingdifferentmethodslikesoaking,liming,deliming,picklingandchrometanning.nbsp;Theleatherqualityofbothmithunandcattlewereassessedforphysical,chemicalandmicroscopicproperties.Thegrowthperformanceofmithunwasbetterthancattle.Mithunattained470gaveragedailygainwhereasTho-thocattleattained333gaveragedailygainandthedifferencewasstatisticallysignificant(P0.05).Theintakeofdrymatter(DM),proteinandenergywerehigherinmithuncomparedtocattle(P0.05).nbsp;ThePhysicalpropertiesofleatherviz.tensilestrength,graincrackstrengthandballburstingstrengthwasbetterinmithunthancattle.Thechemicalanalysisofleathershowedthattheboundorganicmatter,proteinandchromiumcontentwerehigherinmithunleatherindicatingthesuperiorityinqualityofmithunleather.nbsp;Micrographsathighermagnificationsinthecaseofmithunhidesshowedhighlyopenedupfibrestructure.Thefibrebundleswereevenlydispersedbetterincaseofmithunhide.Thehigherphysicalstrength,higheryieldandmorethicknessprovideanexcellentscopeofthisspeciesforpreparationoffinishedleatherproductswhenprocessedwithconventionalchrometanningmethodology.Inconclusion,thegrowthperformanceandleatherqualityinmithunwassuperiortocattleandmithunrearingisbeneficialinimprovingthesocioeconomicconditionsofpoorfarmersofNEHregionofIndia.